Djinn and Dragon
Back to An Old Ornate Journal A Bloody Over Grown Fork Tongued Two Faced Slimy Scaled Shape Changing Over Bearing DRAGON I shall start from the beginning. We landed in Constantinople for supplies before beginning our way. Again the Colonel Gentlemen found himself a friend and was off with Masterson stumbling after. I walked about the docks and was over joyed when I found some actual China Tea! I purchased all my satchel would hold. I didn't even dither too harshly over the price. Supplies were being purchased through a third party and we were to spend the night at a hotel in the British district. I took the rare opportunity for a proper bath, a true tub to soak in, not just jugs of water poured into some piddly little bowl. I don't know how the British can bath only once or twice a month. Perfume is a poor substitute for soap and water. After a good nights sleep, the morning brought calamity. Some one had been burned to death and then left in our lobby. How thoughtful. We'd have left it at that, but the local “authority” was not letting the British leave. So it was decided we would find the true killers. After all our good doctor did have the best eyes and seemed to have experience in detection. Even had paper claiming the same. So off to the morgue with us where the Doctor awoke the dead to tell it's tale. I must have been day dreaming, I don't remember the exact details of what transpired. But I do know we ended up attacked in an alley way, I attempted Magick but it seemed they had extra protection. The others dispatched them quickly enough and a knife with strange symbols was discovered. We chanced upon the the Jewish temple where the actual murder had taken place. Inside Verdie discovered a wall that lead to a tunnel though opening it was tricker then it first appeared. After a grinding of metal upon metal from another sword cane lost to gears and servos. I grew tired of the game. Concentration and a few minutes later, the stone crumbled to sand exposing the mechanism behind. This lead down to the sewer. The Colonel constructed a torch from the remains of the sword. A few more yards down the tubes and the doctor seemed very concerned about a sheen on the water. He told the Colonel to put the torch out and cried out and threw his cloak about the flame to smoother it when he went to dip it into the water. I went to wink a simple mage light into existence, which grew larger and larger, lighting the tunnel in daylight and then the shaking began. I grabbed Verdie about the arm and we all ran. The tunnel collapsed behind us and we had no option but to go forward. I believe it is these foreign places that are causing me to misjudge the Chi and so I am bending it in erratic bends from time to time. In an opening we found a leaking barrel. Greek fire, had that torch touched the water, we would have burned. Verdie plugged up the leak and we found a way out via the sea. It was a swim, but we were able to manage. With the authorities in tow, we went back to the temple to show them the true place of the murder. Thugs were awaiting us, but a djinn made an appearance and ate one of them. That was a very disturbing sight and my heart gave a flutter but I stood firm. Verdi slid off to one side, Doctor Orpheus to the other and I took a healthy step back. Only the Colonel did not move. Careful not to move, I began gathering energy. It seemed the doctor was doing the same as we both drew different elements from the fabric of the world. And this is were my story began. That serpent tongued man burst from his clothing and took the form of a dragon. How cruel this life is. I manage to remove myself from the court of one dragon, to find myself in the presence of another. I saw red, and I don't believe it was the color of his scales. I did always wonder why he was so much taller then the other pale Brits. Now that I think of it the Emperor, when he decided to play human, always seemed tall. I had always chalked that up to his “Prestige”. I shall be weary of overly tall people from this point on. Stalking over to his now even more increased stature, I hit the one thing I could reach, his thigh. “How dare you!” I screamed up at him. “Of all the Asinine things you could have turned out to be you had to be that! Bloody, Over Grown, Fork Tongued, Two Faced, Slimy Scaled, Shape Changing, Over Bearing, DRAGON!” Yes I called him all those things. Fortunately in Mandarin which I doubt this over grown ancient lizard knows. I demanded that he change back so that I could properly swear at him. At which he very properly informed me that it was dragon form or human form, sans clothing. I thought about it. What? He's not bad looking when he's human. I need to breath, find calm, achieve focus..... But all I can see are the lifeless faces of my mother and father. Their bodies mutilated by the quick strokes of the Imperial guards blades. Their blood splashed along the paper walls like ugly calligraphy. Being dragged away from their cooling bodies by soldiers. My silk slippered feet leaving streaks in the filth. Seeing my parents dead. Dead by the order of the Dragon Emperor. ADDENDUM: The Colonel and I have spoken. It seems from unlikely places, friends can be found. Life has become more dangerous for us all and my fists and feet are no longer enough. Now I feel less then confident about blades, but perhaps the simple pull action lever of a fire arm will bolster my ability to fend off attackers as my magick has a tendency to go wild. I shall ask Colonel Gentlemen for lessons. Hopefully I don't shoot anything vital. (Marksmanship from poor to poor +) Category:Layflat Castle Falkenstein